Environmental - Ergonomics

Question 1

Baddeley and Hitch - The Working Memory Model (Background)

Answer 1

• Focuses specifically on the workings of short-term memory
• The WMM proposed that short term memory is composed of 3 limited capacity stores:
  1. Central Executive - manages attention and controls information from the stores
  2. Articulatory-Phonological Loop (APL) - this temporarily retains language-based information
  3. Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad - this temporarily retains visual and spatial information
  4. Episodic Buffer - facilitates communication between the central executive and long-term memory

Question 2

Cognitive Overload (Background)

Answer 2

• Cognitive load = the amount of mental energy used to complete a task
• An individual can only retain a certain amount of information in their memory, and the working memory is at risk of being overloaded if too much information is presented
• Cognitive overload can lead to stress, anxiety and poor decision-making

Question 3

Hawthorne Effect - Observation in the Workplace (Background)

Answer 3

• Wanted to find out if the level of light affected productivity of workers
• Level of light was switched from low to high and high to low, but whatever the light level, workers increased their output
• It was concluded that simply being aware that they were being studied increased their productivity levels

Question 4

Drews & Doig - Aims

Answer 4

• To develop and evaluate a configural vital signs (CVS) designed which graphically presents patient vital signs data

Question 5

Drews & Doig - Method

Answer 5

• Lab experiment; place in a Cognition Lab in the University of Utah (designed to be on )
• IV - numerical or CVS display
• DV - the response time and accuracy in clinical data interpretation across 4 scenarios
• 4 scenarios included sepsis, pulmonary embolism, septic shock and a control group

Question 6

Drews & Doig - Sample

Answer 6

• 42 registered nurses with critical care training and a minimum of 1 year’s ICU experience interpreting data
• 21 in each condition
• 69% nurses were female

Question 7

Drews & Doig - Procedure

Answer 7

• Simulation took place at the University of Utah with a 20 minute training in the display unit; ps were given 5 mins to complete each scenario
• Primary measures included the response time to come to an assessment and accuracy of data interpretation
• Variables included in the CVS display was based on ICU standard of care: systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate and bloody oxygen saturation
• The design requirements for the CVS included trend data, variability data reflecting changes in patient’s vital signs, reduction of visual clutter and colour coding and geometric shapes to convey vital sign changes
• Current State Object (CSO) represented the current patient state by its shape and spatial location in a space of vital signs values

Question 8

Drews & Doig - Results

Answer 8

• Those in CVS display condition identified patient’s state 30% more quickly than the control group
• 48% more improvement in the septic shock scenario, 38% with the pulmonary embolism

Question 9

Drews & Doig - Conclusions

Answer 9

• Providing information in CVS form on a vital signs can improve the speed and accuracy of data interpretation by ICU nurses
• CVS displays have the potential to improve patient safety
• May help prevent cognitive overload
• May help working memory by using different stores at once

Question 10

Okken et al. - The size and space of furniture (Application)

Answer 10

• Ps were asked to speak to a female researcher and were allocated to 1/4 conditions (small/big room, small/big desk)
• Ps were found to be more comfortable in answering questions about identity, sexuality, substance abuse etc. in big room big desk condition
• Ps in big room small desk were

Question 11

Colours in the workplace (Application)

Answer 11

• Bright colours enhance feelings of pleasure, dull colours promote boredom
• Red has been found to be effective from tasks that require careful attention to detail
• Blue has been found to be more effective for tasks requiring creativity

Question 12

Shamsul et al - Room Lighting (Application)

Answer 12

-Cool white light (>4000 Kelvins) was more beneficial for alterness levels and performance on academic activities for both computer and paper-based activities

Question 13

Adjusting Temperatures (Application)

Answer 13

• Hancock et al. (2003) - performance on more cognitively demanding tasks will decline at around 30 degrees
• Taylor et al. (2016) - complex tasks are particularly vulnerable to poor performance when there is the extreme heat stress or cold stress